Among the Regrets
by rainy-dayz2012
Summary: May-Beth is eight years old whne she stumbles onto the underground system that hides third children. When she makes a pact to help end the population control she also makes a pact to avenge her older brother, whom was murdered by the one man she can trus
1. Chapter 1

Fourteen year old Mathew McCoy sat on the cold ground of fallen leaves stroking his little sister's short, striaight black hair. She had been sleeping soundly for the past six hours. Mathew had counted them himself. He was supposed to wake May-Beth over an hour earlier, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. she'd had a rough week, and she was only eight after all. He felt it was too much to put on a little kid's shoulders to have to watch in the dark while he slept. He knew even if he woke her, he wouldn't be able to sleep. So he continued to let May-Beth sleep. Besides he didn't have to deal with the fact that he was a FOURTH child. Because that's what May-Beth had to deal with. Mathew was only a second child.

In their country, only two children were permited to a family. The government blamed the other third children for the famine, and any caught would be torutred and/ or killed. Mathew needn't worry, but he cared too much for his sister. He'd already lost his younger brother to the population police. He couldn't bare to lose her, too. May-Beth hadn't even known her older brother Mark. He had lived with their grandmother. Whom also recieved the same punishment for giving aid to a third child.

When the Population Police raided their home after arresting their brother and grandmother, Mathew had done something that scared him more than anything. He didn't mean to do it, but he acted on impulse of protecting May-Beth. But he still did it. He had killed a man. May-Beth thought of him as a hero for it. He felt like a monster.

His spine chilled at the thought of what might be done to his little sister if she were caught. He had heard terrible stories of what happened to third children. So a fourth was just too much for him to handle. He didn't want to think about it, but it wouldn't leave his thoughts. He needed a new topic to think about. The harder he tried to erase the terrifying image, the more it melted into his brain.

Before he could come up with a new topic to think about, little May-Beth awoke. "Bubby?" her words were hoarse and barely audible.

"Yeah sissy?" he whispered back to her, stroking her oily, gnarled hair.

"Bubby, someone's here." her words were softer than the first time, but they seemed to echo off the massive tree trunks.

Mathew scanned his surroundings quickly. There didn't appear to be anyone in the endless darkness, but he wasn't sure of his own judgement. He'd been forcing his eyes open all night. So he wasn't sure if his mind was playing tricks on him or not. Then he saw it. A movement, a small movement, but something changed in the background none the less. Slowly, a figure came into view. He was tall, slender, and appeared to be wearing a long cloke of some kind.

Mathew looked down at May-Beth and pretended he hadn't seen the figure. He was sending plans through his mind to attack when the man was close enough. His boney fingers traced the knife that was strapped to his waist. He didn't want to kill another man. The memory of the first was life changing enough. But he was going to prtect his sister no matter the cost.

May-Beth continued to lay quietly on the hard ground, but Mathew saw she was holding back her cries. He looked up again at the shadow and nearly screamed when he came face-to-face with the strange man. Fortunatley for him though, the figure slammed his hand over his mouth and his head against the tree before Mathew could make a sound. He had snuck up on Mathew so fast and silently. It was almost as if he teleprted.

The man looked to be young, twenty to twenty-five, he seemed calm, but Mathew saw a look of sympathy in his eyes. He noticed that he had only small weapons. A bow and arrows that were hooked around his chest, and three hand knives strapped to his waist on his belt. Each a different size and shape.

He leaned in close to May-Beth and Mathew before whispering. "Come with me. Come now or regret it."

His hand released Mathew and he stood tall. From up close, he looked to be about 5'9". About five inches taller than Mathew.

Mathew threw the statement around in his brain. He wanted to trust this man. But something just wasn't right. His heart was ounding in his chest. What would the best course of action be? After a few moments, he stood up and lifted May-Beth up with him. The man nodded, then turned and walked away, while Mathew continued to debate whether or not he should follow him. Finally he made his decision.

Mathew took May-Beth's hand and raced off into the opposite direction of the caped stranger. The man instantly turned around and pulled his bow and an arrow out of its holder. He drew back the string and released it with little effort of aiming. The arrow spirraled into Mathew's back. Peircing his rapidly beating heart.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: --

May-Beth didn't know what do do. She was shocked. What could she do? She had just witnessed her brother's murder. Her only protector and friend. Now she was alone in the forest with that monster. Every bone in her body ached and she could hear her own heart beat in her head.

He was still there. The terrifying murderer was still standing several feet away. His coat gently wrapping around his legs in the breeze and his cold blue eyes staring into her soul. She felt like he was reading her mind. She could follow in her big brother's foot steps, or she could live and do the smart thing. Which one though? She now knew the pressure that her brother had faced several moments before. To protect her or go with a complete stranger. But she wasn't decideing for anyone other than herself. The decision was less risky, but just as terrifying.

"Are you coming? I see that you're sick. I can give you medical attention." The man spoke again. This time less demanding and cold. "Please come with me. I don't want to hurt you, too."

She didn't know what to say. She couldn't think, couldn't move, and could barely breathe. She had gone into shock. She was frozen, and her fever was getting extremely deadly. She was only eight, the stress was too high. She dropped. Tumbling to the ground, landing on her thin, white stomach. The crusty fall leaves and twigs scratched her tender cheeks.

He sighed and lifted the cold, unmoving boy from the ground and threw him over his shoulder. Then he picked her up and threw her over his other shoulder. He was going to get them to a place warm and dry. Even if one of them no longer needed it. He walked off toward the way he came. Soon they came to a pile of old ruins in the middle of the quiet forest. The pile of rubble looked like it was once a hospital. The base of the structure was still in place and a few windows were still standing. There was complete silence. Nothing stirred.

In a corner toward the back of the structure was a door in the ground. It looked like it had just been layed there and held no importance at all. Anyone could easily over look it. It was a simple wooden door laying on the ground. Nothing out of place.

The man tapped the door in a repeated pattern of seven taps. He struggled to keep Mathew on his shoulder while knockng. After a few long moments, the door creeked open and two men and women came out. One carrying a gun, and three carrying bows. One of the men took Mathew farther down the hall and he took May-Beth the other direction. If he didn't get some drugs in her fast she wasn't going to make it.

May-Beth squinted in the dim light. She saw Mathew being carried down the hall. Her heart was pounding in her throat. She wanted to call out to Mathew, but only got a throat splitting cough. She was set on a small cot. She was tossing and turning, half asleep. All around her, she heard voices and things being moved around. Some things stuck out like "She's not doing well" and "Is she one of 'em". The voices were distant. Like they were in a dream or something. She struggled to look around, but she drifted slowly to an empty minded sleep. She screamed in her head for them to let her go, but she couldn't even carry herself anymore. So she gave up...again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: --

She awoke after what seemed like a few moments. She squinted in the dim light and took in her surroundings. There was a small beaten dresser next to the cot that she sat on, and a mirror across from the dresser. She looked into the mirror at her pale bruised face. She rubbed her arms trying to get rid of her goosebumps. She didn't know where she was, she didn't know how she had gotten there. She didn't even remember her own name. Her once torn and dirty clothes, were replaced with a soft dress. Her hair was washed and clean. She felt good. She was covered by a soft wool blanket and dry socks. She was quite comfortable. But that didn't make her feel any more safe.

From a small door in front of her, entered a man. Tall young and carrying a cape and a bow and arrows. She scooted back against the wall behind her and hugged her knees. She was a terrified, helpless, little eight year old. She remembered her older brother and how he could face danger so fearlessly and so strong. Like when she was afriad of the spider in her room when she was five. She decided to lose her fears. She wanted to be just like her big brother. She wanted to figure out who this man was and where _she_ was. More importantly, where Mathew was. She threw the covers off of her tiny legs and glared at him.

"Easy, easy sweetheart. I'm not going to hurt you." he didn't laugh or chuckle. He was very grim and soft spoken. "I'm just here to take your temperature and give you some medication."

She didn't budge. She didn't want to. She felt good, standing up for herself. She decided to approach him. She stood,her legs buckled beneath her, and she fell straight to the floor.

"Hey! Whoa!" he caught her by her ill, skinny stomach and set her back on the bed. "You haven't walked in several days. Take it easy."

She looked at him in horror. Several days! What had happened to her?!

"What's your name little one?" he asked coldly.

She opened her mouth to yell at him, but nothing came out. Just a small squeek. She lowered her head in shame and cried.

Then entered a tiny woman. Her face was soft and kind. Unlike the man. Her eyes where a deep blue and her hair was white, as was her skin. She looked to be about sixty or so. She wore a white dress, too big to fit, but it was good enough for her. "How are you? My name is Ellen." she greeted them with a baby tone.

The man shook his head as if disappointed.

"Oh," her smile faded. "Would you like to see your friend?"

She smiled at Ellen. She lit the whole room. That was exactly what she wanted to hear. She nodded franticly and tried to stand again. Remembering what happened last time, her cheeks flushed and she frowned.

"Come," said Ellen. "I'll carry you."

Riding on the woman's back, she left the small candle lit room and entered an even darker tunnel that looked like an ancient castle hallway like out of fairy tales that her parents used to read to her. The walls were covered in mold and leaked water into metal buckets set up all along the hallway. People passed them, but no one said a word. No one even made eye contact. It was like they avoided eachother. It was just like being in a vampire castle.

Following closely behind was the strange man. He appeared calm and comfortalbe. She wished she could feel the same way. His long coat flapped behind him and the knives around his waist frightened her.

They rounded a corner and came to doorway covered by a torn blanket. The room smelled of decay and death, and for a good reason. Upon their entering, they found many pale, unmoving bodies. In the back corner laid a familiar face. Her older brother, Mathew, lay rested on a bloody cot. The arrow had been removed from his back and lay next to his arm on the cot. It was a horrific sight.

Once set down on the cot with her brother, she sobbed into his stomach. Her heart ached and her throat tightened. She couldn't even remember to breathe for a moment. She laid her head on his chest and wiped her tears onto his dirty shirt. His flesh was cold. She hated the man who killed him. She wanted to find him and rip his heart out, but she didn't even realize he was standing right next to her.

Her boney fingers traced the point on the arrow as she sobbed. She gripped it with all her strength and pulled it from the rest of the arrow. Unlike the rest of the arrows that were made with metal, this one was a genuine arrow head. She cut a section of her dress with it and tied it around the arrowhead. She wrapped in around her neck and laid back onto her brothers chest. Her nightdress was getting drenched in blood and her tears were washing it away. She stayed that way for what seemed like hours. Neither the old woman nor the man wanted to separate them. They thought it best to let her have the last few hours of her brother's existance be a long caring time.

Soon, other kids entered the small room to say good bye to their family and friends. She felt clausterphobic. So gave her brother a kiss on the cheek before returning to her room. What was to become of her. Her past remained a mystery except for memories with her brother. She didn't know her name or her parents' names. Just that she wasn't supposed to be alive, and her brother let her.


End file.
